(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering system for use in an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to a steering system which is particularly suitable for a small-sized light wheeled vehicle, such as an all-terrain vehicle being equipped with balloon tires.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art
In the design of a light-weight wheeled vehicle which is specifically designed to run on the wild or irregular grounds, it is generally required that a vehicle can be operated with a sharp steering performance that provides a small-radius of turning, and in a certain severer application, it is sometimes required to provide a vehicle for such off-road services with a four-wheel-steering system, or a steering system for both the front and rear wheels of a vehicle. In such a specific design of steering, the size of this type vehicle is generally to be substantially small, and therefore, resulting in a substantially large ratio of weight of an engine to that of the vehicle. In consideration of this fact, however, it is a very difficult in practice to provide such a four-wheel steering system because of the practical restrictions in dimensions or layout of the chasis of a vehicle. Therefore, to the best knowledge of the Applicant, there has been put in use no off-road vehicles equipped with this four-wheel steering system.
The present invention is essentially directed to the provision of an efficient resolution to such inconveniences and difficulties in practice as outlined above and expeienced in the conventional steering system layout designs.